Among the crop talked up at the American History Museum presentation is Defiance, a new scripted series written/executive produced by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Kevin Murphy and Michael Taylor and produced by Universal Cable Prods. Set to premiere in 2013, it was developed concurrently with an online video game; production on the pilot is set to begin this month in Toronto. Julie Benz and Grant Bowler star in the story set on a future Earth where humans and aliens live together on a planet ravaged by decades of war and transformed by alien terra-forming machines. Here’s Syfy’s full slate:

NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

Defiance – 2013 – Defiance is in collaboration with Trion Worlds, with the Syfy series and Trion’s multi-platform shooter MMO poised to debut simultaneously. The series stars Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Fionnula Flanagan, Mia Kirshner and Oscar-nominee Graham Greene. Set in the near future, Defiance introduces a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Forced to co-habitate, the disparate group struggles to build a new society among the devastation. The dramatic tapestry of the series and the intense action of the game will exist in a single universe where their respective narratives will inform one another and evolve together into one overall story. Defiance is directed by Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest) and written/executive produced by Rockne O’Bannon (Farscape), Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica, Hellcats) and Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica). Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner. Defiance is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

Grant Bowler Cast As The Lead In New Syfy Series ‘Defiance’
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that Ugly Betty and True Blood alum Grant Bowler has been tapped as the lead in Syfy’s new original series Defiance. The project is a live-action drama, written/executive produced by Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon, which was developed concurrently with an online video game by Trion. “Grant’s charismatic charm and his depth as an actor make him the perfect anchor as we build the ensemble for this sweeping adventure series,” said Syfy’s president of original content Mark Stern.

Set on a future Earth, Defiance introduces players and viewers to a world where humans and aliens live together on a planet ravaged by decades of war and transformed by alien terra-forming machines. It centers on Jeb Nolan (Bowler), the law-keeper in a bustling frontier boomtown that is one of the new world’s few oasis of civility and inclusion. Nolan is a former Marine who fought in the alien conflict and suffered the loss of his wife and child in the war. The trauma transformed him into a lone wanderer in the wilds of this new and dangerous world. Defiance seems to be blending Western and alien themes, something that last year’s feature Cowboys & Aliens attempted to do, but the series is set in the future. New Zealander Bowler is best known for his recurring roles as Vanessa Williams’ squeeze on Ugly Betty, as werewolf Cooter on True Blood and as Capt. Gault on Lost. Scott Stewart (Legion) is directing the series, which is slated to begin production April 2012 in Toronto. Universal Cable Prods is producing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dexter alumna Julie Benz will star opposite Grant Bowler in the Syfy series Defiance. Tony Curran (Pillars Of The Earth), Jaime Murray and Stephanie Leonidas also have been cast in the live-action drama, written/executive produced by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Kevin Murphy and Michael Taylor, which was developed concurrently with an online video game. Set on a future Earth, Defiance is set in a world where humans and aliens live together on a planet ravaged by decades of war and transformed by alien terra-forming machines. It centers on Jeb Nolan (Bowler), the law-keeper in a bustling frontier boomtown that is one of the new world’s few oasis of civility and inclusion. Benz, repped by ICM and Vincent Cirrincione, will play Amanda Rosewater, the idealistic newly appointed mayor of the mining boomtown who is determined to maintain peace in the community. Leonidas, repped by UK’s Artists Rights Group and Thruline, will play Irisa, a beautiful warrior who is part of an alien race called the Irathients. After Nolan killed her criminal father, he adopted the girl and raised her as his clever – and lethal – right-hand. Curran, repped by Domain and Sanders/Arstrong/Caserta, will play Datak Tarr, a member of another elite alien race known as the Castithans who schemed his way out of his home planet before it was destroyed. Murray, repped by Sanders/Arstrong/Caserta, will play Datak’s beautiful and proper wife. Scott Stewart (Legion) will direct Defiance, slated to begin production in April in Toronto. Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner. Benz just wrapped the indie Supremacy.

EXCLUSIVE: Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries, The L Word) and Fionnula Flanagan (Lost) have joined the cast of Syfy’s new drama series Defiance. Set in the near future, Defiance introduces a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. It centers on Jeb Nolan (Grant Bowler), the law-keeper in bustling frontier boomtown Defiance that is one of the new world’s few oasis of civility and inclusion. Kirshner, repped by APA and Brillstein Entertainment, will play Kenya, the self-assured, dauntless town madam whose unvarying devotion to the town of Defiance has inexorably woven her into many of its complicated affairs. Flanagan will portray Nicky, the popular ex-mayor of the town whose intrinsic expertise from her years on the job have made her a trusted mentor to her successor, Amanda (Julie Benz). Defiance, written/executive produced by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Kevin Murphy and Michael Taylor and produced by Universal Cable Prods., was developed concurrently with an online video game. It is slated to begin production on the pilot this month in Toronto.

I'm pretty intrigued by the concept, and the cast just builds on that intrigue. I've liked Bowler in the supporting roles I've seen him in (LOST, True Blood), so it will be interesting to see him in a leading role. And don't get me started on Benz.

Battlestar Galactica Composer Bear McCreary To Serve As Music Supervisor For Syfy's Defiance
Author: Kelly West

I've been trying to avoid the words "the next Battlestar Galactica" when discussing Syfy's upcoming series Defiance. I don't want to set those kinds of expectations on the project, and the realist in me is tentative about piling all of my hopes on the drama. With that said, I doubt I'm alone in waiting for Syfy to deliver a new original drama series that is both outstanding and firmly in the realm of science fiction, much in the way BSG was. Written by Rockne O'Bannon, Kevin Murphy and Michael Taylor, Defiance could be both of those things.

Whether Defiance delivers remains to be seen, and we have until Spring of 2013 to wait to see. In the meantime, based on this latest update, the music is likely to be really good. Maybe even as good as Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead good. Syfy's Craig Engler just Tweeted the following:

I'm not entirely sure if composing falls under the responsibilities of Music Supervisor. I certainly hope so. Regardless, McCreary's involvement in a supervisory role can only mean good things for the series as far as the music is concerned.

The composer's list of credits includes fantastic scoring for Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead, as well as Human Target, Eureka and a number of other TV shows. It's exciting to know that his talent will be contributed to this promising sounding series.

Syfy also announced today that Defiance has commenced production in Toronto. The series, which will also be tied into a video game, is set in the near future and follows a town in which aliens and humans co-habitate after a universe-wide war. The cast includes Grant Bowler, Julie Bez, Jaime Murray, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Graham Green, Mia Kirshner and Fionnula Flanagan.

As if I needed to be any more interested in this. McCreary is the ****.

Apparently, according to another tweet from Syfy, the guy who created the Dothraki language for Game of Thrones is also working as an alien language consultant for the show. And the special effects supervisor for BSG is involved.

Its's really random that this show is being set in St. Louis, even though the game is in San Francisco.

While as a native of St. Louis is quite awesome to see a future vision of my hometown, it seem wasted since the only element of the city still in existence is the arch. I mean hell, the river is gone and there are mountains in Illinois.

Also, like everything these days, this show is filmed oustide Toronto.

Sad as it is to say, St. Louis has plenty of places that look like they've been through a war, and the city has a history of playing that role in science fiction films, north city standing in for New York in Escape from New York and even in one of Syfy's own movies about earthquakes (our planeterium was also used as a science building)

An unprecedented partnership between Syfy and Trion Worlds, Defiance is the first-ever convergence of television and Massive Multiplayer Online gaming, featuring an interconnected world and storylines that will co-exist throughout a scripted drama series and a multiplatform MMO shooter. Both the series and the game will debut simultaneously in April 2013.

Set in the near future, Defiance introduces an exotically transformed planet Earth, its landscapes permanently altered following the sudden – and tumultuous – arrival of seven unique alien races. In this somewhat unknown and unpredictable landscape, the richly diverse, newly-formed civilization of humans and aliens must learn to co-exist peacefully. Each week, viewers will follow an immersive character drama set in the boom-town of Defiance, which sits atop the ruins of St. Louis, MO, while in the game, players will adventure in the new frontier of the San Francisco Bay area. The dramatic tapestry of the series and the intense action of the game will exist in a single universe where their respective narratives will inform one another and evolve together into one overall story.

Defiance stars Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Tony Curran, Jaime Murray, Graham Greene and Mia Kirshner. The series is executive produced by Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica; Hellcats) & Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica). Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner. Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest) directed the pilot; Michael Nankin will serve as director/producer on the series. Defiance is produced by Universal Cable Productions. The game was named “Best MMORPG” from GameSpy at the recent E3 conference in June 2012 (among other accolades).

Here is a detailed character description for the series:

Grant Bowler plays Nolan, a former Marine who fought in the alien conflict. After losing his wife and child in the war, he became a wanderer in the dangerous new world, eventually joined by Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), a young Irathient he raises as his own and as his lone companion in the lawless badlands.

Julie Benz portrays Amanda Rosewater, the idealistic mayor of the bustling mining boomtown of Defiance, one of the world’s few oases of civility and inclusion. As the newly appointed mayor, she is determined to maintain peace in the community, an ambitious task in this deadly new world.

Stephanie Leonidas plays Irisa, an exotically beautiful warrior who is part of an alien race called the Irathients. After Nolan (Bowler) killed her criminal father, he adopted the girl and raised her as his clever – and lethal – right-hand.

Tony Curran portrays Datak Tarr, part of an elite alien race known as the Castithans. Datak grew up in the slums of his home planet, but despite being part of the under-privileged class, he schemed his way onto one of the alien arks, saving himself before his home planet was destroyed.

Jaime Murray potrays Datak’s beautiful and proper wife, Stahma, a high-ranking Castithan before her home planet ceased to exist. Clever, imaginative and darkly opportunistic, Stahma is perhaps more dangerous than her husband.

Graham Greene is Rafe McCawley, a self-made success who owns and operates the largest mine in the territory. However, Rafe’s status as the richest and most powerful human in the town of Defiance comes with a price, as he struggles to navigate both familial and political alliances in this precariously assembled new world.

Mia Kirshner is Kenya, the self-assured, dauntless town madam whose unvarying devotion to the town of Defiance has inexorably woven her into many of its complicated affairs.

Information courtesy of Syfy. Look for my in-depth reports on set visits to both Defiance and Warehouse 13 coming soon!

The show looks expensive for something made on the syfy channel. Expensive scifi shows never work out. There simply isn't enough of a budget to support the kinds of effects and storytelling necessary to make shows like that interesting. The only shows that have done it successfully is Star Trek Voyager and Star Gate SG-1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDoom

Stephanie Leonidas

I remember seeing her in a fantastic docudrama about ancient Minoa. I never thought I'd actually I'd actually end up watching something with her in it again.

1) Support sci-fi and more will come.
2) If episode one is any indication...this show is going to be fantastic.

__________________Beliefs - Christian. Anti-Republican. Anti-Gun. Complete separation of church and state. Freedom of speech. Freedom to practice any religion in public. Less focus on foreign lands and more focus on our own problems.

If this show fails I will be incredibly dissapointed. I can't see another fantastic show get cancelled.

__________________Beliefs - Christian. Anti-Republican. Anti-Gun. Complete separation of church and state. Freedom of speech. Freedom to practice any religion in public. Less focus on foreign lands and more focus on our own problems.